The Combined Technical Association Nagaland (CTAN) have strongly objected to a proposed alteration in the recruitment ratio for Junior Engineer (JE) to Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) posts under the Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD), urging authorities to retain the existing system that prioritizes direct recruitment.
In a representation submitted to the Engineer-in-Chief, NPWD, on March 17, the CTAN expressed “vehement objection” to the proposal seeking to increase the promotion quota from 40 percent to 50 percent. The move, they argued, would reduce the share of direct recruitment from the current 60 percent, a long-standing statutory provision.
Referring to official communications issued by the department, CTAN maintained that any modification of the recruitment ratio would undermine meritocracy and disrupt the established cadre structure. The association further stated that such a change would run contrary to established service norms and legal principles governing public employment.
The representation emphasized that the existing 60:40 ratio between direct recruitment and promotion ensures fairness and transparency in the selection process conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). Altering this balance, they cautioned, could compromise the integrity of the recruitment system.
CTAN also appealed to the department to safeguard the current statutory quota and avoid any decision that could be “detrimental to the service, contrary to public interest, and legally vulnerable.”
They also urged that their concerns be placed before the competent authority and duly considered before finalizing any policy decision regarding the recruitment framework.
In the representation, the Association stated that its objections are founded on legal and administrative grounds. It stated that the existing 60 percent direct recruitment and 40 percent promotion ratio is a well-established and constitutionally aligned framework. It emphasized that the current structure ensures a balance between experienced departmental personnel and qualified engineering graduates selected through the Nagaland Public Service Commission. Any reduction in the direct recruitment quota, it argued, would weaken merit-based selection standards.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
The CTAN further pointed to established principles of service law, noting that recruitment quotas must maintain a rational link to administrative efficiency. Referring to consistent rulings by the Supreme Court of India, the Association stressed that while promotional opportunities should be safeguarded, they must not infringe upon the rights of direct recruits or disrupt cadre balance. It warned that the proposed 50:50 ratio could restrict entry opportunities through the NPSC and potentially trigger legal challenges on grounds of arbitrariness and constitutional violation.
The Association also highlighted the intent behind the Nagaland Engineering Service Rules, 2006, which had removed reservations for higher posts to address disparities where diploma holders superseded degree holders. It argued that increasing the promotion quota at the SDO level—considered the entry point to Class-I service—would risk reintroducing the same issues of stagnation and supersession that the 2006 rules sought to eliminate. According to CTAN, the existing 40 percent promotion quota already ensures fair representation for departmental candidates without compromising merit.
The CTAN cautioned that the reduction of the direct recruitment share from 60 percent to 50 percent will inevitably lead to a corresponding reduction in the number of posts advertised by the NPSC. “This not only prolongs unemployment among eligible Civil Engineering graduates but also weakens the Department’s ability to attract the best available talent. A shrinking direct recruitment pipeline will, over time, deplete the quality of the cadre at the Executive Engineer and Superintending Engineer levels, thereby impacting public infrastructure delivery,” it asserted.
